Conventionally, a dedicated area within an electronic device housing is used to provide a chamber for a speaker. The speaker is utilized by the electronic device to produce audio sound for the benefit of the user of the electronic device. For example, the speaker can produce audio sounds corresponding to music, movies or speech. Unfortunately, however, as electronic devices become increasingly more compact, the availability of space within a housing for a compact electronic device becomes more limited. Accordingly, given the constrained geometries and tight tolerances of compact portable electronic devices, such as handheld portable electronic devices, it is increasingly difficult to provide a speaker with a desired acoustic chamber.
Piezoelectric speakers are often used in compact portable electronic devices, such as portable media players and mobile telephones, because of their low profile and relatively small footprint. Piezoelectric speakers create sound by forming vibrations with a diaphragm via a piezoelectric driver. In general, the sound quality associated with piezoelectric speakers is adequate, but is often not to the level that may be desired in particular applications. The sound quality associated with piezoelectric speakers may be worsened by the actual placement of the piezoelectric speakers within electronic devices. That is, the location at which a piezoelectric speaker is placed may not be a location which is not substantially optimal for the performance of the piezoelectric speaker. Piezoelectric speakers are often placed wherever they fit within electronic devices, without regard for whether the placement of the piezoelectric speakers provides substantially the best sound quality that may be achieved by the piezoelectric speakers.
Thus, there is a need for improved techniques for forming an acoustic chamber for a speaker, such as a piezoelectric speaker, within an electronic device housing.